Is There a Difference Between a Psychologist and a Psychiatrist?
What is a Psychologist?
A psychologist is a person who studies and evaluates the mental condition of his or her patient. The education of a psychologist starts with a college degree in psychology. After attaining a bachelor of science or bachelor of arts in psychology, the individual continues school to receive a master's. An internship is required before a person actually becomes eligible for licensing. After appropriate years of experience, training, and studying, a psychologist will be able to study health problems, diagnose conditions, give non-medication health treatment, counsel people who are suffering from depression or psychosis, and ensure the mental well-being of the patient.
There are different types of psychologists:
- clinical psychologists
- school psychologist
- organizational psychologists
- counselors
Psychologists treat mental conditions like:
According to the American Psychological Association, there are approximately 105,000 licensed psychologists in the United States.
What is a Psychiatrist?
In order to become a psychiatrist, a person has to undergo rigorous training in medical school, followed by a graduate program and a residency. Practice and residency should be performed in a hospital's psychiatric department only. Within the years of practice, the individual can decide the specific psychiatry they desire to practice.
Different specialists include:
- general psychiatry
- child psychiatry
- psychoanalyst
After schooling and residency is complete, the individual must pass the required exam to become a licensed medical doctor. Currently, there is a serious shortage of psychiatrists in the U.S. according to the Huffington Post and American Medical Association. A psychiatrist diagnoses mental disorders, since they have a better hold on neurochemistry, can order lab tests, conduct psychiatric testing, and prescribe medications to treat the conditions.
What are the Similarities?
A psychologist and psychiatrist normally work to better the mental health of the person. They quite often work together to improve a patient’s condition. A psychologist will recommend a psychiatrist that he or she has a professional relationship with, if the condition requires some serious testing and medication. Similarly, a psychiatrist may recommend psychologist that he or she has a professional relationship with to if further treatment is needed.
What are the Differences?
As is already mentioned above, their education and degrees are completely different. A psychiatrist can prescribe medications, whereas a psychologist provides effective non-medication therapy.
